May 22 (GMM) Circuit de Catalunya boss Joan Fontsere rates the chances of a Spanish GP next year at “90 per cent”.
That is despite the fact that Zandvoort, having inked a deal for a 2020 Dutch GP, looks certain to take Barcelona’s May date on next year’s calendar.
Fontsere, the Barcelona circuit director, does not deny that.
“We must not link the destinies of Barcelona and Zandvoort,” he told France’s Auto Hebdo.
“When it was necessary to find a date in June for the return of the French GP, a solution was found.”
It is believed Liberty Media has identified Barcelona for the axe in 2020, as well as Mexico, in order to make room for Zandvoort and Vietnam without adding to the existing 21 race dates.
One reason is that the popularity of F1 in Spain has plummeted with the demise of Fernando Alonso.
“Moving F1 to a pay channel also caused the audience to plunge, and the spectacle offered on track is too predictable,” Fontsere counters.
“Over the same period of time, we went from 142,000 spectators in the grandstands to 90,000.
“But personally, I am confident,” he insists. “I rate our chances of a new contract at 90 per cent.”